The Cullen Family Manual
by elfmaiden4legs
Summary: ****Here's something a little different to my usual style of writing. Based on another fanfiction I read. What would Esme write in her 'family manual' if placed in Wife Swap situation, how would she explain about her family to a human audience?


**The Cullen Family Manual**

******OK, so this is only my second Twlight fan fiction and is a little different to anything I've written before! I got the inspiration from another Twilight fan fiction I read based on a Wife Swap scinario between the Cullen's and another 'human' family. This is my interpretation of how Esme's family manual may read if she was writing for a human audience! I know this is something a little different but even so I hope you enjoy, and please do REVIEW! As I LOVE to know what you think!**

_**About My Family**_

My husband Carlisle and I have five children, all of whom are adopted. Rosalie and Emmett are the oldest, Edward (our first adopted child), and then Alice and Jasper (our two youngest). Jasper is the newest addition to the family and is still settling in, so can appear a little uncomfortable at times. Carlisle works as a doctor at the local hospital where he works shifts, and all of our children still attend the local high school. We are a very close knit family unit, and cherish the time we spend together. Family time is a regular event in our household, and during fine weather we often take our children out of school for educational excertions and hiking trips.

Because our children are unrelated, and haven't grown up together we allow them to date within the family. Rosalie and Emmett are together, and Alice and Jasper are in the early stages of their courtship. They are all very much in love, especially Alice and Jasper who, like most young love, are besotted with each other. Bella is Edward's girlfriend. She lives in the nearby town, but we think of her as an adopted daughter also. Edward dotes on her and she is allowed over anytime, and frequently has sleepovers with Alice. Although they are both of very different temperaments, sometimes leading Bella to feel a little out of her own depth, they are the best of friends.

My husband Carlisle is the rock of our family, and his patient and caring nature often means he is the first on hand if anybody has any problems. He is a doting and neutering father, frequently making time for the children, all of whom have had a troubled background.

I don't work, Carlisle's income is enough to keep the family comfortable and provide us with all that we need, and so I stay at home to look after the children and take care of the house. We don't very often eat together, I choose to eat alone early in the afternoon, the children eat before they get home from school, and Carlisle eats at work, so I don't cook.

Evenings are spent as a family, but we all have very different ways of unwinding. Jasper is the quiet one and he and Carlisle are both of a rather similar character, and like to read, whilst Alice is very much our girlie girl and spends most evenings experimenting with her hair and makeup, much to her sister's distaste. Being the eldest Rosalie and Emmett enjoy their personal time together, however we insist that they still spend quality time with their siblings, during which they both enjoy catching up with the days sport, a family favourite being baseball, whilst Edward seeks solace in music, and is an exceptional and gifted pianist.

When it comes to the daily routine we are early risers, and often find that we get by very easily on minimal sleep. The children car pool to school as this cuts down on the inevitable arguments, and fuel costs, and as they each own their own car take it in turns to be designated driver. Sometimes Edward elects to drive himself however, picking Bella up on the way.

There are very few rules in our house, all of our children are nearly adults and we expect them to behave as so, however those that we do have are important. We have high expectations of our children to achieve to the very best of their ability, and all homework must be completed before indulging in any leisure of extra curricular activities, which can often be hard convincing Alice, our resident shop-a-holic, not to hit the shops straight after school. However, first and foremost, the most important rule is to respect each other and failure to abide by the rules will result in a loss of privileges.

We are just an ordinary family trying to live quite complicated lives in the only way we know how.


End file.
